High Heat…No Tornadoes

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High Heat…No Tornadoes

Interesting fact today. Iowa has had zero tornadoes during the months of June and July of 2012. This is the first time that has happened since 1955. BUT the numbers are misleading. Prior to 1980 the exact numbers on severe weather events are sketchy.

The map below has the tornadoes that were reported by storm spotters in 1955. Only 7 tornadoes were recorded in Iowa. In 1955 we did not have the technology of Doppler radar. We did not have communication systems like today. The tornado count was taken when tornadoes actually created damage.

After 1980…the radar, communication structure and better analysis of storm data allowed us a much more accurate count of tornadoes. The lowest tornado count for Iowa since 1980 was 22 tornadoes in 1993.